Solid-phase rhodium carbenoid reactions: an N-H insertion route to a diverse series of oxazoles.

[reaction: see text] The solid-phase synthesis of a series of oxazoles is described. The key step in the construction of these molecules involves the rhodium-catalyzed decomposition of polymer-bound alpha-diazo-beta-ketoesters. These reactions are performed in the presence of primary amides and yield the corresponding N-H insertion products. Subsequent cyclodehydration of these alpha-(acylamino)-beta-ketoesters provides the corresponding resin-bound 2,5-disubstituted oxazoles, which are further elaborated during cleavage from the resin.

Improving the oral bioavailability of the iron chelator HBED by breaking the symmetry of the intramolecular H-bond network.

Physicochemical analysis and Monte Carlo simulations were used to identify structural features which prevent oral absorption of HBED, a potent iron chelator. In water the dominant conformations of HBED involve the hydrophobic collapse of the two aromatic rings. These conformations are favored in polar media because they expose the polar phenolic hydroxy groups to the solvent and partially shield the nonpolar aromatic rings. In a less polar solvent such as chloroform, a symmetrical H-bond network between the carboxylates and the amines dominates the conformational space. This leads to the exposure of the phenolic hydroxy groups to the solvent, which is unfavorable for solvation. The low solubility of HBED in nonpolar solvents was confirmed experimentally by determination of the partition coefficients in octanol, chloroform, and cyclohexane and may explain the poor membrane permeability of this compound. The high conformational stability which disfavors partitioning into phospholipids is mainly due to the symmetrical H-bond network. Potentiometric titrations of a monoester of HBED in MeOH/water indicate that the protonation sequence was changed compared to that of the parent compound, suggesting that the symmetrical H-bond network was disrupted. Conformational analysis in chloroform confirmed that, in contrast to HBED, no symmetric interaction between the carboxylate and the nitrogen amines is possible in the half-ester and a variety of conformations which allow partial shielding of the polar phenolic OH groups are energetically possible. This theoretical model predicting a better solubility of the half-esters in nonpolar solvents was supported by the large increase in the partition coefficients in octanol, chloroform, and cyclohexane measured experimentally. The high absorbability predicted by physicochemical and computer simulation methods was corroborated by in vivo experiments in marmoset monkeys where the monoethyl ester derivative of HBED was well-absorbed orally while the parent compound was nearly ineffective in the same model.

Specific activation of the nuclear receptors PPARgamma and RORA by the antidiabetic thiazolidinedione BRL 49653 and the antiarthritic thiazolidinedione derivative CGP 52608.

The thiazolidinedione BRL 49653 and the thiazolidinedione derivative CGP 52608 are lead compounds of two pharmacologically different classes of compounds. BRL 49653 is a high affinity ligand of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and a prototype of novel antidiabetic agents, whereas CGP 52608 activates retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor alpha (RORA) and exhibits potent antiarthritic activity. Both receptors belong to the superfamily of nuclear receptors and are structurally related transcription factors. We tested BRL 49653 and CGP 52608 for receptor specificity on PPARgamma, RORA, and retinoic acid receptor alpha, a closely related receptor to RORA, and compared their pharmacological properties in in vitro and in vivo models in which these compounds have shown typical effects. BRL 49653 specifically induced PPARgamma-mediated gene activation, whereas CGP 52608 specifically activated RORA in transiently transfected cells. Both compounds were active in nanomolar concentrations. Leptin production in differentiated adipocytes was inhibited by nanomolar concentrations of BRL 49653 but not by CGP 52608. BRL 49653 antagonized weight loss, elevated blood glucose levels, and elevated plasma triglyceride levels in an in vivo model of glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance in rats, whereas CGP 52608 exhibited steroid-like effects on triglyceride levels and body weight in this model. In contrast, potent antiarthritic activity in rat adjuvant arthritis was shown for CGP 52608, whereas BRL 49653 was nearly inactive. Our results support the concept that transcriptional control mechanisms via the nuclear receptors PPARgamma and RORA are responsible at least in part for the different pharmacological properties of BRL 49653 and CGP 52608. Both compounds are prototypes of interesting novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and rheumatoid arthritis.